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Winter is a wonderful time, but with all the snowfall comes a host of responsibilities in terms of home maintenance. Snowfall is exciting for the young and old until the temperature drops and the fun takes a turn. Having said that, the winter chores and tasks around the home can be tackled with a little organization and planning.

Seal those gaps:

Winter care for your home is as important as with any other season, and brings its own challenges and unique checklist. Every home has a few inconsistencies when constructed, and these little gaps and openings let in the cold winter air, leaving your rooms chilly and forcing you to waste energy trying to raise the indoor temperatures. You can find these draft points by simply using a lit candle and pointing them to areas like windows and walls and the gaps. You can seal these spots using a caulking gun or weather stripping products, thus insulating your home from the cold weather outside

Check the Insulation:

Insulation is very essential for freezing winters. The first step wouyld be to check if your insulation system is prepared to protect you from the cold? Check and add extra insulation in the attic in order to prevent ice dams. Finally, do check your propane tank as the cold weather can change the chemical properties of the gas, making it extremely dangerous. Keeping an explosion-proof light installed near the tank.

Fixing the Step Repairs, Handrails, Handicap Ramps are just some ideas to make your home easier for you or your loved ones.

Winterization for the home exteriors:

Now that we’ve taken care of the inside of the house, let’s take a look at the outside. With a layer of snowfall, there is a danger of slippery surfaces on your deck, stairs, driveway and sidewalk. With heavy movement in these areas during the holiday season, it’s important to clear the snow regularly.

Calling in snow plowing & snow blowing services on a regular basis will ensure that there’s no unnecessary build-up of snow and thereby preventing accidents.

Also do remember to check your roofs regularly as the intensity of snowfall increases. Getting your roof shoveled along with your driveway and clearing away the snow will ensure that your roof stays strong, preventing leaks and cracks.

Finally, do tend to the trees in your property, get them trimmed and regularly remove dead branches so they do not damage your home or injure someone.

We hope that you find these tips useful and that they make this winter a very beautiful and safe one for your family.

Winter is wonderful magical season, with all the fresh snow and holiday cheer in the air. With all the joy, comes the hard work of making sure that you and your home is ready for it all. As the seasons change, so does your check-list of small and not-so small chores that can dampen your holiday spirit.

Here’s a few tips and tricks that will help you get your home ready for the winter & holiday season in Anchorage.

A winter checklist is essential!

Every holiday brings with it the joy of decorations & lighting, so make sure you’ve got a checklist on hand well in advance. Check your lights & lighting fixtures, and get them tended to as early as you can. In case, you are not sure where to begin, get professional help in checking for all lighting fixtures and replace the faulty ones on time.

Be organized!

Whether it’s to do with holiday lighting or winter preparation for the home. Use zip-ties to keep your lights from getting tangled, and place the bundles in separate boxes to ensure they’re easy to access when you need them. Keeping tools, hoses & ropes organized and stored together means time saved when you’re in the middle of winter preparation and installing decorations. Also remember to follow this tip while storing the Holiday lights after the holiday season.

Safety is the key!

Winter means slippery ground and one has to be wary of taking that step to avoid mishaps. Having a good quality shovel & snow blower to clear snow from your driveway, sidewalk, roof and deck will give you a safe environment in the icy, cold months. When you are installing lights, be extra careful about ladder safety. Sanding on the drive way can also help avoid slippery surfaces. Also remember in the interest of safety of others, avoid pushing the snow into the street, across the street, into an alley or the middle of a cul-de-sac.

Don’t postpone small repairs!

Since we’re talking safety, small things, if left unattended can prove to be dangerous when you have lot of people movement around the house especially during the holidays. Prioritize these repairs and install sturdy handrails at your staircases around the property to provide support for when the snow on the stairs freezes into ice.

If you don’t have the time to carry out these chores, we are happy to lend a helping hand. With a range of winter services ranging from Snow Removal, Holiday Lighting, Handyman and Trash Hauls, we can make it happen and offer you the opportunity to enjoy this season stress free with your dear ones.

It’s time to start thinking about outdoor Holiday Lighting. And it is the perfect time to start planning and implementing your holiday lighting design ideas for your home in Anchorage. If you want your Holiday Lighting to really stand out and even better than the previous years’ design, now is the time to act.

Here’s quick guide to help you decide on how to go about creating that magical effect for your home this year:

What type of lights do I need?

There are lots of outdoor lighting options – stringing lights along the roof line, doors and windows. Twinkling lights in shrubs close to the house are appealing and circling around tree bases and up into the branches are also popular. A plethora of light options can already be found at the Super Stores around town. There are LED white lights that look almost look blue in color, and come in several sizes. Some people string color lights before the holidays and then switch to white or crystal lights in January. Be sure to plan ahead to get everything you need before you start stringing.

Tip: Don’t forget extension cords and timers! Plug in all light strands before hanging so you don’t get unpleasantly surprised once everything is all up! Check all wires for frays and don’t use them!

Safety is a real concern

Be sure your ladder is well placed and secure before climbing. With snow and ice on the ground, things can slip really fast. And always have a ‘spotter’ – someone on the ground holding the ladder in place.

Get creative

Don’t limit yourself to just lights – there are all kinds of holiday decorations that should be well-seated and create that wonderful effect

Tip: Once the holiday season is over, carefully take down and store your lights and decorations for next year. Remember ladder safety!

With winter approaching, you may decide it’s time to do some sorting and re-organization in your house, garage, attic or basement. Inevitably, there’s trash after a major home clean-up and you might need trash hauling services.

As residents of Anchorage, we all have our duties to ensure that the trash from our homes is handled responsibly. The Municipality of Anchorage has instituted some limits to what can be taken to the local Transfer Station.

For instance, Commercial loads, such as re-modeling / construction debris, must be taken to Hiland in Eagle River. Refrigerators now have to go to Hiland and there will be a surcharge for Freon Removal.

Hazmat materials, such as paint cans, propane canisters, old car batteries, used oil, etc. all have to go to the City’s Hazmat location in Hiland. Even old Televisions and CRT monitors cannot be taken to the Transfer Station in town.

Want to donate items instead of throwing them away?

You’ll need to call your charity ahead of time to be sure they’ll take the item. You might check out the Salvation Army, Goodwill and Bishop’s Attic. There are also other smaller charitable locations throughout town.

The wood lot is closed for the winter, so bags of leaves and tree limbs will have to go to the Transfer Station. Remember, tree limbs have to be cut down to 6 feet or less.

Trash removal and management is a complex process. However, if everyone keeps in mind the information about the right way to dispose trash, we can definitely work towards achieving effective trash hauling and ultimately a cleaner city.

Tony’s Enterprises can help you with your trash hauls. We have several different-sized trucks, and the manpower you’ll need to get stuff out and away. By the way, we can also help you with the re-organizing part. You can hire one or two men to move boxes, furniture, etc.

With a change of season in Anchorage, comes a long list of things to do in terms of home maintenance and fall clean-up. Giving your property that extra bit of attention this Fall, means that come Spring your landscape is healthy and ready to explode with beautiful colors.

Fall clean-up:

With the turn of the season, comes the inevitable layer of leaves that though colorful, will smother and kill the grass on your lawn if left lying there. Un-raked leaves also provide great hibernation materials for bugs – something you won’t want in the Spring. Using a rake regularly will keep your grass fresh and vibrant longer, and will be a good way to keep fit at the same time.

With all this focus on the lawn, let’s not forget your plants and trees. Pruning is an excellent way to get rid of dead, diseased or out-of-control branches, insect infestations and to ensure that both you and your trees are safe from damage from nearby power and utility lines.

Clean the Gutters:

Once you’re done down on the ground, it’s time to focus on the house, starting with the gutters. Falling leaves can pose a grave threat to gutters as they pile up quickly and can be quite heavy. Full gutters can break off, get severely clogged and end up being breeding grounds for a variety of unwanted wildlife. As snow melts, clogged gutters can also lead to basement or crawlspace flooding, so it’s best you clear them on a regular basis.

Ensure your ladder is a strong one and that it’s set safely before you climb up to get to the gutters when attempting to clean them. Use thick gloves and/or a scoop to fish out the leaves and debris safely, putting it all into a bag that when full can be safely dropped to the ground before you descend. Don’t forget to wash the gutters out with a hose to ensure they stay clean and clear of any debris that might have gotten stuck in hard to reach spaces.

When you’re done with your leaves and debris, ensure everything is bagged for disposal and ready for collection. Staying organized saves time, effort and gives you more time to relax after these tiring chores.

Window Cleaning:

Next up, windows. If your windows have screens, take them off the frames, hose them down and wipe with a rag or sponge to get rid of all the accumulated dust and grime. Spray each window with a hose, then use a squeegee or sponge to clean them using a professional-strength window cleaner or even simply some detergent, water and a bucket. To avoid streaks, do your cleaning on a cloudy day or when the sun’s not directly shining on the windows.

Moss Removal:

To round off the clean-up, we turn our attention to your roof. Moss grows in cool, moist, shaded areas, and can damage your roof severely as the temperatures drop. If you have a lot of tree cover over your roof, trim the branches down to let in more sunlight – moss hates the warm light – and it’ll help kill the moss naturally. Next, make the moss’ environment either more acidic or base. The latter is a better option as it protects your shingles. Common household items can be used to achieve this, either by themselves or by being mixed with water. Bleach, salt, baking soda, baking powder, soap and ammonia are popular choices.

1. Examine different spots for debris:
Clear leaves, dirt, and pine needles from gutters and examine downspouts for damage or loose pieces. Also make sure to check the flashing around your chimney and any openings in the roof, such as skylights for leaking problems.

2. Check walkways carefully:It’s best to check walkways now for cracks and loose paver material which may cause tripping or accidents.

3. Store the outdoor furniture:Make sure to power wash all your outdoor furniture and cushions. Once dry, store cushions in dry area to prevent cracking, and fading over the fall and winter months. One spring comes along next year; you will have them ready for use!

4. Fertilize:In order to deter spring weeds and winter lawn damage, don’t forget to fertilize. Fertilizing also helps to prevent bugs from snuggling down in soil thru the winter and resurfacing in spring. We can help!

5. Collect leaves:
If saving your fallen leaves, rake them onto a plastic tarp to make them easier to transport. If you want your leaves gone – we can rake, bag, and haul away.

6. Moose Protection:
To keep the moose from chomping your trees, you might consider some moose protection. There are a few products on the market that afford some success. We can also place a protective netting over the tops of trees to thwart snacking!

7. Clean the gutters:
Before fall rains and winter snowstorms, clear away any leaf or debris build-up within your gutters so that flow isn’t inhibited. Otherwise, water will flow off the roof in big sheets, potentially harming your siding and landscaping.

8. Plant bulbs:Although you can plant new bulbs come spring, the fall is a good time to get some smaller bulbs into the ground – and then you’ll have something already in the ground when the weather starts warming up, and you can enjoy watching them grow.

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About Tony’s Enterprises

Tony’s Enterprises is a full-service general contracting business serving the Anchorage, Alaska area for over 30 years. We are expert general contractors who provide a personal touch to ensure your complete satisfaction.